In-air gestures for electromagnetic coordinate digitizers

ABSTRACT

A technique is disclosed for detecting an in-air gesture made by a digitizing pen above a digitizing writing surface. When the digitizing pen is determined to be in motion above the digitizing writing surface, positional information of the digitizing pen with respect to the surface of the digitizing writing surface is recorded within a moving buffer. The moving buffer records a predetermined amount of positional information spanning a predetermined amount of time while the digitizing pen is in motion above the digitizing writing surface. When the digitizing pen has stopped motion, positional information recorded in the moving buffer is evaluated for determining whether the recorded information corresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture. A predetermined user interface panel is displayed when the positional information recorded in the moving buffer corresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application is related to provisional applicationSer. No. (Atty docket 3797.00066), entitled Method and Apparatus ForImproving the Appearance of Digitally Represented Handwriting; toprovisional application Ser. No. (Atty docket 3797.00067), entitledHighlevel Active Pen Matrix; to provisional application Ser. No. (Attydocket 3797.00069), entitled Selection Handles in Editing ElectronicDocuments; to provisional application Ser. No. (Atty docket 3797.00070),entitled Insertion Point Bungee Space Tool; to provisional applicationSer. No. (Atty docket 3797.00072), entitled Simulating Gestures of aMouse Using a Stylus and Providing Feedback Thereto; to provisionalapplication Ser. No. (Atty docket 3797.00074), entitled System andMethod For Accepting Disparate Types Of User Input; to provisionalapplication Ser. No. (Atty docket 3797.00075), entitled In Air Gestures,and filed concurrently with the present application; to provisionalapplication Ser. No. (Atty docket 3797.00076), entitled Mouse InputPanel Windows Class List; to provisional application Ser. No. (Attydocket 3797.00077), entitled Mouse Input Panel and User Interface; toprovisional application Ser. No. (Atty docket 3797.00079), entitledSystem and Method For Inserting Implicit Page Breaks; each filed Nov.10,2000, and each of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to computing devices. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a system and method forgenerating an input having predefined characteristics for a computingsystem.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Most personal computer (PC) systems provide a plurality oftechniques for a user to enter data and commands, and to manipulatedata. One exemplary technique is for a user to enter data and commandusing a keyboard. Other exemplary techniques include use of a mouse, atrack ball, and/or a voice-actuated input device. Yet another techniqueinvolves a using a digitizing writing pad and a stylus.

[0006] In the situation when a conventional computer system has adigitizing writing pad and stylus, and a user would like to utilize thefunctionality that is associated with a mouse that is not availablethrough the digitizing writing pad and stylus, the user must stop usingthe digitizing writing pad and style and begin to use the mouse. Forexample, when a user would like to control the behavior of the computersystem using the functionality provided by the left- and right-buttonsof a two-button mouse, the user must stop using the digitizing writingpad and stylus and use the mouse, or using the stylus to select thedesired function from a sequence of menu selections. A change from astylus to a mouse is time consuming for the user because the user mustrefocus attention from one input device to another. Further, many timesswitching from one input device to another can be awkward or thecomputer system may be configured so that a mouse-type input device isnot connected. Selecting a desired function from a sequence of menuselection can be plainly inconvenient.

[0007] Thus, what is needed is a way for a user to control the behaviorof a pen-based computing device input data so that a pen-based computingdevice can emulate the functional behavior of a mouse-type computerinput device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention provides a new class of control behaviorsfor pen-based computing devices. These behaviors are easily recognizedby a computer and provide a convenient way for users to control orinvoke certain functions.

[0009] The advantages of the present invention are provided by a methodfor detecting an in-air gesture. An in-air gesture is a certainprescribed movement made by a user of a pen or stylus that is proximateto, but not in contact with, the display screen of a computer thatallows pen input. An in-air gesture is easy for the system todistinguish from control commands of prior devices because the lack ofcontact between pen and display clearly distinguishes this class ofbehaviors from prior control behaviors. In-air gestures also provideeasy and quick access to system functionality in a way that is moredirect than in existing control methods.

[0010] Computers that are configured without traditional keyboard andmouse input devices and that have relatively large displays aresometimes referred to as tablet PCs. Tablet PCs are typically configuredso that a digitizer is combined with or overlaid upon the display of thetablet PC. The digitizer senses the coordinates of a pen tip as the penis moved in contact with the display surface. When electromagneticdisplays and pens are used, the tablet PC can sense proximity of the pento the display in addition to sensing just contact between the pen andthe display. According to the invention, the system first determineswhether a digitizing pen is proximate to, but not in contact with, adigitizing writing surface. Preferably, the digitizing pen anddigitizing writing surface are electromagnetic devices. Alternatively,the digitizing pen and digitizing writing surface are optical devices.In addition to electromagnetic and optical devices, any device type thatsenses both contact and proximity of the pen is suitable for use. Next,the invention determines whether the digitizing pen is in motion withrespect to the digitizing writing surface. Positional information of thedigitizing pen with respect to the surface of the digitizing writingsurface is recorded within a moving buffer when the digitizing pen isdetermined to not be in contact with the digitizing writing surface andwhen the digitizing pen is determined to be in motion with respect tothe digitizing writing surface. According to the invention, the movingbuffer records a predetermined amount of positional information, such asabout 200 points, spanning a predetermined amount of time, such as about1 second, while the digitizing pen is in motion and not in contact withthe digitizing writing surface. The invention determines when thedigitizing pen has stopped motion with respect to the surface of thedigitizing writing surface while the digitizing pen is not in contactwith the digitizing writing surface. The invention determines whetherpositional formation recorded in the moving buffer corresponds to apredetermined in-air gesture, such as a spike motion, that can be madewith the digitizing pen based on a parameters, such as a relativeposition of the starting point with respect to the ending point, adetected motion shape, a detected motion size, and a detected motionspeed. Preferably, a predetermined user interface panel is displayedwhen the positional information recorded in the moving buffercorresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture that can be made with thedigitizing pen. Alternatively, a predetermined character and/or commandor a sequence of characters and/or commands are sent to an applicationprogram when the positional information recorded in the moving buffercorresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture that can be made with thedigitizing pen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The present invention is illustrated by way of example and notlimitation in the accompanying figures in which like reference numeralsindicate similar elements and in which:

[0012]FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a conventional general-purposedigital computing environment that can be used for implementing variousaspects of the invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 shows a tablet and stylus computer that can be used inaccordance with various aspects of the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 3 shows an exemplary user interface (UI) that can be used foremulating the functional behavior of a two-button mouse-type computerinput device according to the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing the functionalrelationship of an in-air gesture recognizer according to the presentinvention with a pen digitizer and an application program; and

[0016]FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram for a process for detecting an in-airgesture and emulating the functional behavior of a two-button mouse-typecomputer input device according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The present invention may be more readily described withreference to FIG. 1-5. FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of aconventional general-purpose digital computing environment that can beused to implement various aspects of the present invention. In FIG. 1, acomputer 100 includes a processing unit 110, a system memory 120, and asystem bus 130 that couples various system components including thesystem memory to processing unit 110. System bus 130 may be any ofseveral types of bus structures including a memory bus or memorycontroller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety ofbus architectures. System memory 120 includes read only memory (ROM) 140and random access memory (RAM) 150.

[0018] A basic input/output system 160 (BIOS), containing the basicroutines that help to transfer information between elements withincomputer 100, such as during start-up, is stored in ROM 140. Thecomputer 100 also includes a hard disk drive 170 for reading from andwriting to a hard disk (not shown), a magnetic disk drive 180 forreading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk 190, and an opticaldisk drive 191 for reading from or writing to a removable optical disk192 such as a CD ROM or other optical media. Hard disk drive 170,magnetic disk drive 180, and optical disk drive 191 are connected to thesystem bus 130 by a hard disk drive interface 192, a magnetic disk driveinterface 193, and an optical disk drive interface 194, respectively.The drives and their associated computer-readable media providenonvolatile storage of computer readable instructions, data structures,program modules and other data for personal computer 100. It will beappreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of computerreadable media that can store data that is accessible by a computer,such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks,Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories(ROMs), and the like, may also be used in the example operatingenvironment.

[0019] A number of program modules can be stored on hard disk drive 170,magnetic disk 190, optical disk 192, ROM 140 or RAM 150, including anoperating system 195, one or more application programs 196, otherprogram modules 197, and program data 198. A user can enter commands andinformation into computer 100 through input devices such as a keyboard101 and pointing device 102. Other input devices (not shown) may includea microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner or the like.These and other input devices are often connected to processing unit 110through a serial port interface 106 that is coupled to the system bus,but may be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, gameport or a universal serial bus (USB). Further still, these devices maybe coupled directly to system bus 130 via an appropriate interface (notshown). A monitor 107 or other type of display device is also connectedto system bus 130 via an interface, such as a video adapter 108. Inaddition to the monitor, personal computers typically include otherperipheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers. Ina preferred embodiment, a pen digitizer 165 and accompanying pen orstylus 166 are provided in order to digitally capture freehand input.Although a direct connection between pen digitizer 165 and processingunit 110 is shown, in practice, pen digitizer 165 may be coupled toprocessing unit 110 via a serial port, parallel port or other interfaceand system bus 130 as known in the art. Furthermore, although digitizer165 is shown apart from monitor 107, it is preferred that the usableinput area of digitizer 165 be co-extensive with the display area ofmonitor 107. Further still, digitizer 165 may be integrated in monitor107, or may exist as a separate device overlaying or otherwise appendedto monitor 107.

[0020] Computer 100 can operate in a networked environment using logicalconnections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer109. Remote computer 109 can be a server, a router, a network PC, a peerdevice or other common network node, and typically includes many or allof the elements described above relative to computer 100, although onlya memory storage device 111 has been illustrated in FIG. 1. The logicalconnections depicted in FIG. 1 include a local area network (LAN) 112and a wide area network (WAN) 113. Such networking environments arecommonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets andthe Internet.

[0021] When used in a LAN networking environment, computer 100 isconnected to local network 112 through a network interface or adapter114. When used in a WAN networking environment, personal computer 100typically includes a modem 115 or other device for establishing acommunications over wide area network 113, such as the Internet. Modem115, which may be internal or external, is connected to system bus 130via the serial port interface 106. In a networked environment, programmodules depicted relative to personal computer 100, or portions thereof,may be stored in a remote memory storage device.

[0022] It will be appreciated that the network connections shown areexemplary and other techniques for establishing a communications linkbetween the computers can be used. The existence of any of variouswell-known protocols such as TCP/IP, Ethernet, FTP, HTTP and the like ispresumed, and the system can be operated in a client-serverconfiguration to permit a user to retrieve web pages from a web-basedserver. Any of various conventional web browsers can be used to displayand manipulate data on web pages.

[0023]FIG. 2 illustrates a tablet PC 201 that can be used in accordancewith various aspects of the present invention. Any or all of thefeatures, subsystems, and functions in the system of FIG. 1 can beincluded in the computer of FIG. 2. Tablet PC 201 includes a largedisplay surface 202, e.g., a digitizing flat panel display, preferably,a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, on which a plurality of windows203 is displayed. Using stylus 204, a user can select, highlight, andwrite on the digitizing display area. Examples of suitable digitizingdisplay panels include electromagnetic pen digitizers, such as the Mutohor Wacom pen digitizers. Other types of pen digitizers, e.g., opticaldigitizers, may also be used. Tablet PC 201 interprets marks made usingstylus 204 in order to manipulate data, enter text, and executeconventional computer application tasks such as spreadsheets, wordprocessing programs, and the like.

[0024] A stylus could be equipped with buttons or other features toaugment its selection capabilities. In one embodiment, a stylus could beimplemented as a “pencil” or “pen”, in which one end constitutes awriting portion and the other end constitutes an “eraser” end, andwhich, when moved across the display, indicates portions of the displayare to be erased. Other types of input devices, such as a mouse,trackball, or the like could be used. Additionally, a user's own fingercould be used for selecting or indicating portions of the displayedimage on a touch-sensitive or proximity-sensitive display. Consequently,the term “user input device”, as used herein, is intended to have abroad definition and encompasses many variations on well-known inputdevices.

[0025] A primary aspect of the invention provides a technique foremulating the functional behavior of a two-button mouse-type computerinput device with a tablet PC using a pen or stylus as the input device.The user interface (UI) element of the invention, described in furtherdetail with respect to FIG. 3 below and referred to herein as a mouseinput panel (MIP), allows a user to quickly access the functionalbehavior of a two-button mouse. The functional behavior of a two-buttonmouse to be emulated by the pen and the MIP includes positionalinformation, and an actuation signal for each button of the two buttons(i.e., left and right-button down events). Also, two keyboard keys(SHIFT and CTRL) commonly used for modifying the functional behavior ofthe two buttons of mouse input device can be actuated using the MIP ofthe invention. Accordingly, an application program that is designed tooperate with input from a two-button mouse input device and, therefore,expects a variety of mouse events can be operated using a digitizing penwithout modification of the application program.

[0026] The MIP of the present invention can be invoked, i.e., made toappear on the display of the tablet PC, in a number of different ways.One way is for a user to press a button that represents the MIP on atoolbar visible on the display. This, however, requires the user's handto move away from the document or application to which the user'sattention is focused to locate and depress the button that invokes theUI element. Another approach that has similar shortcomings is to use ahardware button on the housing of the tablet PC. The preferredalternative for invoking the MIP or other UI elements, or for affectingany other system control or input, is the use of the gesture of thepresent invention.

[0027] According to the invention, “in-air” gestures made with anelectromagnetic pen digitizer are detected for emulating the functionalbehavior of a two-button mouse-type computer input device. When thedigitizing pen is detected to be above, but not in contact with, adigitizing writing surface, i.e., in-air, the coordinates of the in-airmovements of the pen are recorded. Preferably, approximately the lastsecond of the pen movement coordinate stream is recorded in a buffer ina well-known manner. Each time the motion of the pen is detected tostop, the recorded coordinates of the pen motion are evaluated by agesture recognizer for determining whether the characteristics of therecorded pen movement matches the characteristics of one of a pluralityof predefined in-air gestures. When the recorded pen movement matchesone of the predefined in-air gestures, an action is executed such as thedisplay of user interface (UI) element, thereby presenting, for example,menu selections that can be selected by a user using the pen.

[0028] Preferably, the default event that is sent to an application whenthe pen touches the writing surface is a “left button down” event. Whenthe pen touch is preceded by a selected in-air gesture, no “left buttondown” event is sent. Instead, the UI is displayed preferably near thepen tip. For example, a right-handed user can select for the UI to bedisplayed to the left of the detected pen position. Alternatively, aleft-handed user can select for the UI to be displayed to the right ofthe detected pen position.

[0029] A “spike” in-air gesture is an in-air gesture that is easily madeand is not likely to be performed accidentally by a user. There are fourpreferable orientations of the spike gesture that are detected by thepresent invention. A “down spike” in-air gesture is formed by holdingthe pen above a digitizing writing surface and moving the pen south(with respect to the north, south, east, west directions of thedigitizing writing surface) and then north back to the originalposition. An “up spike” in-air gesture is formed by holding the penabove the digitizing writing surface and moving the pen north and thensouth back to the original position. A “right spike” in-air gesture isformed by holding the pen above the digitizing writing surface andmoving the pen right and then left back to the original position. A“left spike” in-air gesture is formed by holding the pen above thedigitizing writing surface and moving the pen moving left and then rightback to the original position.

[0030] These and other in-air gestures can be pre-configured, by anapplication developer or by a user, to produce any desired input to anapplication or operating system. One preferred use of an in-air gestureis to invoke the MIP. When, for example, a down spike in-air gesture isdetected, the MIP UI element is displayed and a user can, using the MIP,select one or more modifiers that can be attached to the next “pen down”action. FIG. 3 shows an exemplary UI element 300 that is displayed whena down spike in-air gesture is detected. FIG. 3 shows that theselections contained in UI element 300 displayed with a down spikein-air gesture are detected include RIGHT 301, CTL 302, SHIFT 303, ALT304 and BULL'S-EYE 305. When RIGHT 301 is selected, the next pen touchcauses a “right button down” event. When CTL 302 is selected, a CTL keyaccompanies the next pen touch. Similarly, when SHIFT 303 is selected, aSHIFT key accompanies the next pen touch. When BULL'S-EYE 305 isselected, the UI pop-up window is dismissed.

[0031] CTL 302, SHIFT 303 and ALT 304 are additional instances of thecorresponding modifier buttons on a keyboard. Consequently, CTL 302,SHIFT 303 and ALT 304 are displayed as activated or locked when acorresponding instance is in either state. As soon as UI element 300becomes visible, an inactivity timer is started. When a user does nottap the pen anywhere within UI element 303 before the inactivity timerexpires, UI 300 hides, or disappears from view. Preferably, the durationof the inactivity timer is about 3 seconds. When a user taps the pen tipin the BULL'S-EYE 305, and none of CTL 302, SHIFT 302 and ALT 304 isactive, UI 300 sends a right button click event to the windowimmediately below BULL'S-EYE 305. UI 300 then disappears from view. Whenone or more of the modifiers CTL 302, SHIFT 303 and ALT 304 is activeand a user taps in the pen tip within BULL'S-EYE 305, UI 300 sends aright click event plus the modifier(s) to the window immediately belowBULL'S-EYE 305. UI 300 then hides, unless one or more of the modifiersis locked.

[0032] When a user taps on one of CTL 302, SHIFT 303 and ALT 304 buttonsof UI 300, the selected button flashes, thereby indicating activation.On the next pen down on, for example, a soft keyboard button or any areaoutside MIP window, UI 300 sends the modified mouse message anddeactivates the modifier. A user can lock a modifier on UI 300 byholding on the button until a UI modifier lock time-out expires.Preferably, the duration of the UI modifier lock time out timer is about1 second. When a user locks a modifier, the locked modifier ispreferably displayed having a highlighting color around the perimeter ofthe locked modifier. For example, in the situation that ALT 304 islocked, a green highlight is displayed around the perimeter of ALT 304.While the button is locked, the UI 300 stays onscreen. The lock isreleased when the locked modifier is again tapped on. When all locks arereleased, UI 300 will be hidden from view.

[0033]FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing the functionalrelationship of an in-air gesture recognizer 400 with a pen digitizer401 and an application program 402. Pen digitizer 401 generatespositional information (i.e., coordinate information) of a pen 403 inthe form of a coordinate stream 404. Pen digitizer 401 and pen 403 arepreferably components that are part of a conventional electromagneticpen digitizer system. Coordinate stream 404 includes informationrelating to whether digitizer pen 403 is in contact with a writingsurface 405 of pen digitizer 401, or whether digitizer pen 403 is inproximity above writing surface 405.

[0034] When coordinate stream 404 indicates that pen 403 is in proximityabove writing surface 405, in-air gesture recognizer 400 recordscoordinate stream 404 in a buffer 406. Preferably, buffer 406 recordsapproximately the last second of the pen movement coordinate stream in awell-known manner so that about 200 coordinate points are recorded forevaluation. Alternatively, the time span of pen movement informationrecorded in buffer 406 can be optimized for each user. When in-airgesture recognizer 400 detects that the motion of pen 403 stops, therecorded pen motion coordinate information is evaluated by a gesturedetector 407 for determining whether the characteristics of the recordedpen movement match the characteristics of a predefined in-air gesture.More specifically, gesture detector 407 compares recorded motioncharacteristics, such as motion shape, motion size, start and end pointsof the motion, and speed of the motion, to corresponding characteristicsfor a predefined in-air gesture, such as a down spike gesture. Ofcourse, other in-air gestures can be detected using the same technique.

[0035] When gesture detector 407 determines that the recorded penmovement matches the predefined in-air gesture for a down spike, a userinterface (UI) element 408 is displayed that presents menu selectionsthat can be selected by a user using the pen digitizer. The particularmenu selections contained in the UI emulate the functional behavior of atwo-button mouse-type computer input device.

[0036]FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram 500 for a process for detecting anin-air gesture and emulating the functional behavior of a two-buttonmouse-type computer input device according to the present invention. Theprocess begins at step 501. At step 502, it is determined whether thepen is in proximity to and in the air above the digitizing writingsurface. If not, the process remains at step 502 until the pen isdetermined to be in proximity to and in the air above the digitizingwriting surface, at which time flow continues to step 503 where thecoordinate information stream generated by the in-air gesture of the penis recorded in buffer 406 (FIG. 4). Flow continues to step 504, where itis determined whether the in-air pen movement has stopped. If not, flowcontinues to step 503, where the recording of the coordinate informationstream generated by the in-air gesture of the pen continues in buffer406.

[0037] If, at step 504, it is determined that the in-air gesture hasstopped, flow continues to step 505, where it is determined whether therecorded in-air gesture corresponds to, for example, a down spike in-airgesture. If so, flow continues to step 506, where an actioncorresponding to the detected in-air gesture is displayed. For example,when a down spike in-air gesture is detected, UI 300 is displayed.Alternatively, a control function can be executed when a particularin-air gesture is detected. If, at step 505, the recorded in-air gestureof the pen does not correspond to a down spike gesture, flow returns tostep 502.

[0038] As an alternative to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, thedigitizer pen and digitizing writing surface can be configured so that auser manually selects, for example, a button that defines the digitizingpen to be in a hovering state. For this alternative embodiment, thedecision made in step 502 would be based on the user-selected state forthe pen, i.e., hovering or not hovering.

[0039] While the present invention does not rely on complex in-airgestures for emulating the functional behavior of a two-buttonmouse-type computer input device, other in-air gestures other than spikemovements can alternatively be utilized by the present invention. Forexample, other suitable in-air gestures that can be used with thepresent invention include circularly, triangularly, or rectangularlyshaped motions, in addition to a saw tooth motion or a reciprocatingmotion. Moreover, a UI menu or control window other than a mouse-typeinput panel could be emulated by using an in-air gesture that isdetected by the present invention. Exemplary UI menus or control windowsthat could be controlled by in-air motions detected by the presentinvention include a file management menu, an edit function menu, and aformatting menu. Further still, an in-air gesture according to thepresent invention can be used for generating specific keystrokes, suchas a space, backspace and carriage return, or user definable keystrokesand/or sequences of keystrokes.

[0040] While the present invention has been described in connection withthe illustrated embodiments, it will be appreciated and understood thatmodifications may be made without departing from the true spirit andscope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for detecting an in-air gesture,comprising steps of: determining whether a digitizing pen is not incontact with a digitizing writing surface; determining whether thedigitizing pen is in motion with respect to the digitizing writingsurface; recording positional information of the digitizing pen withrespect to the surface of the digitizing writing surface within a movingbuffer when the digitizing pen is determined to not be in contact withthe digitizing writing surface and when the digitizing pen is determinedto be in motion with respect to the digitizing writing surface, themoving buffer recording a predetermined amount of positional informationspanning a predetermined amount of time while the digitizing pen is inmotion and not in contact with the digitizing writing surface;determining when the digitizing pen has stopped motion with respect tothe surface of the digitizing writing surface while the digitizing penis not in contact with the digitizing writing surface; and determiningwhether positional information recorded in the moving buffer correspondsto a predetermined in-air gesture that can be made with the digitizingpen.
 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step ofdisplaying a predetermined user interface panel when the positionalinformation recorded in the moving buffer corresponds to a predeterminedin-air gesture that can be made with the digitizing pen.
 3. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the predetermined in-air gesture is aspike motion.
 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the in-airgesture is a down spike motion.
 5. The method according to claim 3,wherein the in-air gesture is an up spike motion.
 6. The methodaccording to claim 3, wherein the in-air gesture is a right spikemotion.
 7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the in-air gestureis a left spike motion.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein thepredetermined amount of positional information is about 200 points ofcoordinate information.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein thepredetermined amount of time that positional information is recorded inthe moving buffer is about 1 second.
 10. The method according to claim1, wherein the moving buffer includes positional informationcorresponding to a starting point and an ending point, and wherein thestep of determining whether positional information recorded in themoving buffer corresponds to the predetermined in-air gesture is basedon a relative position of the starting point with respect to the endingpoint.
 11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step ofdetermining whether positional information recorded in the moving buffercorresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture is based on a detectedmotion shape.
 12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step ofdetermining whether positional information recorded in the moving buffercorresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture is based on a detectedmotion size.
 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step ofdetermining whether positional information recorded in the moving buffercorresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture is based on a detectedmotion speed.
 14. The method according to claim 1, wherein thedigitizing pen and digitizing writing surface are electromagneticdevices.
 15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digitizing penand digitizing writing surface are optical devices.
 16. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein in the step of determining whether thedigitizing pen is not in contact with the digitizing writing surfaceincludes a step of receiving an input indicating that the digitizing penis in a hovering state.
 17. The method according to claim 1, furthercomprising a step of sending a predetermined character to an applicationprogram when the positional information recorded in the moving buffercorresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture that can be made with thedigitizing pen.
 18. The method according to claim 1, further comprisinga step of sending a predetermined sequence of characters to anapplication program when the positional information recorded in themoving buffer corresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture that can bemade with the digitizing pen.
 19. The method according to claim 1,further comprising a step of sending a predetermined command to anapplication program when the positional information recorded in themoving buffer corresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture that can bemade with the digitizing pen.
 20. A computer-readable medium havingcomputer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:determining whether a digitizing pen is not in contact with a digitizingwriting surface; determining whether the digitizing pen is in motionwith respect to the digitizing writing surface; recording positionalinformation of the digitizing pen with respect to the surface of thedigitizing writing surface within a moving buffer when the digitizingpen is determined to not be in contact with the digitizing writingsurface and when the digitizing pen is determined to be in motion withrespect to the digitizing writing surface, the moving buffer recording apredetermined amount of positional information spanning a predeterminedamount of time while the digitizing pen is in motion and not in contactwith the digitizing writing surface; determining when the digitizing penhas stopped motion with respect to the surface of the digitizing writingsurface while the digitizing pen is not in contact with the digitizingwriting surface; and determining whether positional information recordedin the moving buffer corresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture thatcan be made with the digitizing pen.
 21. The computer-readable mediumaccording to claim 20, wherein the steps further comprise displaying apredetermined user interface panel when the positional informationrecorded in the moving buffer corresponds to a predetermined in-airgesture that can be made with the digitizing pen.
 22. Thecomputer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein thepredetermined in-air gesture is a spike motion.
 23. Thecomputer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the in-airgesture is a down spike motion.
 24. The computer-readable mediumaccording to claim 22, wherein the in-air gesture is an up spike motion.25. The computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein thein-air gesture is a right spike motion.
 26. The computer-readable mediumaccording to claim 22, wherein the in-air gesture is a left spikemotion.
 27. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20, whereinthe predetermined amount of positional information is about 200 pointsof coordinate information.
 28. The computer-readable medium according toclaim 20, wherein the predetermined amount of time that positionalinformation is recorded in the moving buffer is about 1 second.
 29. Thecomputer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the movingbuffer includes positional information corresponding to a starting pointand an ending point, and wherein the step of determining whetherpositional information recorded in the moving buffer corresponds to thepredetermined in-air gesture is based on a relative position of thestarting point with respect to the ending point.
 30. Thecomputer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the step ofdetermining whether positional information recorded in the moving buffercorresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture is based on a detectedmotion shape.
 31. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20,wherein the step of determining whether positional information recordedin the moving buffer corresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture isbased on a detected motion size.
 32. The computer-readable mediumaccording to claim 20, wherein the step of determining whetherpositional information recorded in the moving buffer corresponds to apredetermined in-air gesture is based on a detected motion speed. 33.The computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein thedigitizing pen and digitizing writing surface are electromagneticdevices.
 34. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20, whereinthe digitizing pen and digitizing writing surface are optical devices.35. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein in thestep of determining whether the digitizing pen is not in contact withthe digitizing writing surface includes a step of receiving an inputindicating that the digitizing pen is in a hovering state.
 36. Thecomputer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the stepsfurther comprise sending a predetermined character to an applicationprogram when the positional information recorded in the moving buffercorresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture that can be made with thedigitizing pen.
 37. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20,wherein the steps further comprise sending a predetermined sequence ofcharacters to an application program when the positional informationrecorded in the moving buffer corresponds to a predetermined in-airgesture that can be made with the digitizing pen.
 38. Thecomputer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the stepsfurther comprise a step of sending a predetermined command to anapplication program when the positional information recorded in themoving buffer corresponds to a predetermined in-air gesture that can bemade with the digitizing pen.